The present invention relates generally to arcades. More particularly, the present invention relates to adapting personal computer (PC) based applications to an automated format for use in arcades and unattended kiosks.
Arcades are popular entertainment establishments containing games of a mechanical and electronic nature, such as pinball and video games, that may be played by customers for a fee. A typical video arcade game may include a housing having external user indicators and controls, a crediting device such as a coin box or card reader, a video monitor, and speakers for music and/or audible prompting. One or more printed circuit boards dedicated to a specific game are located inside the housing.
Video arcade games are periodically updated by the game manufacturers to add enhancements to the games such as improved display capabilities, faster exchange of information in networked arcade games, and new modes of play so as to keep the games interesting and challenging for the customers. In order to maintain current versions of the video arcade games in their arcades, arcade owners are obliged to purchase upgrade kits for their games.
These upgrade kits typically include at least one updated game dedicated circuit board that is to replace the game dedicated circuit board or boards currently residing in the arcade system. Unfortunately, these upgrade kits are costly since new game dedicated boards incur significant redevelopment costs. In addition, the arcade market is relatively small and the number of manufacturers of arcade games is limited. Accordingly, arcade vendors cannot receive the cost savings advantages that are inherent in a more competitive market in which there are many manufacturers employing mass production techniques.
Moreover, an updated game dedicated circuit board requires the arcade owner to open the housing of an arcade game and physically replace the older version of the circuit board. Alternatively, the arcade owner may hire an outside installer to replace the older version of a game with the newer version of the game. Either situation is undesirable from the perspective of hardware reliability since repeated handling of the internal mechanisms of the arcade game increases the likelihood of the arcade game being damaged. Furthermore, a hired installer may make the updating of games even more cost prohibitive for the owner of a small arcade.
In addition to the difficulties associated with updating the games, the small number of arcade game developers results in a limited number of arcade games from which an arcade owner may choose. By way of contrast, the variety of games that are produced for the ubiquitous personal computer (PC), i.e., the computer designed for individual use, is much greater. This is due to the highly competitive nature of the computer industry which is driven by the widespread presence of the PC and its associated applications in homes and businesses. In addition, PC applications are less expensive since they typically do not require game dedicated circuit boards and because they are produced for a mass market. For that same reason, PC applications are more readily updated, since only code changes are required rather than the manufacture of new circuit boards.
Unfortunately, PC games are not configured for the arcade environment. In other words, PC games do not operate in an automated format that incorporates arcade-style features. Such arcade-style feature include credit monitoring, fee prompts, audible cues, timing cues, interfacing capability with arcade controls and virtual reality devices, networking capabilities, and so forth. Moreover, it is undesirable for PC game developers to modify their existing game code to include such arcade-style features because development costs are prohibitive and the potential arcade market is low as compared to the PC-based application market.
Accordingly, an advantage of the present invention is that an interface circuit and method are provided in an arcade system for adapting a personal computer (PC) based application to an automated format.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the interface circuit adapts the PC-based application to an automated format without making changes to the existing PC-based application code.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the interface circuit and method adapt the PC-based application to an automated format to incorporate arcade-style features.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the interface circuit is selectively configurable for a variety of PC-based applications.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the system and method allow for networked arcade games including checking for credit.
The above and other advantages of the present invention are carried out in one form in an arcade system by an interface circuit for adapting a PC-based application to an automated format. The arcade system has a personal computer (PC), a peripheral device, and a display unit, and the PC-based application is installed on the PC and is executable from the PC. The interface circuit includes a communication port being configured for electrical communication with a serial port of the PC. A video input is configured for electrical communication with the PC for receiving a video signal of the PC-based application. A video output is configured for electrical communication with the display unit for providing the video signal of the PC-based application to the display unit. A data input is configured for electrical communication with the peripheral device for receiving data from the peripheral device. A data output is configured for electrical communication with the PC for providing the data to the PC. A processor is in communication with the video input, the video output, the data input, and the data output. A memory is coupled to the processor. The memory has stored therein a user-configurable control program executable on the processor. The control program includes a video control segment that selectively transfers the video signal from the PC to the display device, and a data control segment that selectively translates the data to a data format recognizable by said PC-based application.